PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thor Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Howard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the ring accompanied by Sandstorm. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Silva
vs
Howard

180 cm
28
185 lbs
14 - 4 - 0

178 cm
33
192 lbs
17 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

CEC Nutrition Q160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Thor Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Howard!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Both fighters circling a little - Silva finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Silva moves away from the strike by Howard.
Howard throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Silva moves out of range as Howard strikes.
Silva scores with a jab.
Howard misses with a wild body shot.
Howard avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Howard was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.
Silva fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Silva misses with the combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Howard misses the target.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A left lands for Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva slips under a jab from Howard.
Howard keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Howard ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
Silva misses with the combination.
Howard throws a body punch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.

Silva gets tackled into the ropes by Howard. Howard maintains the clinch.
The referee calls for Howard to work.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Howard looking to slow down the pace here.
Howard tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Silva's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard taking a breather.
A left hand lands to the body for Howard.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Howard scores with a punch to the head.
Howard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Howard pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Left hook, right uppercut from Silva.
Thor Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Howard moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Howard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Howard lands a jab.
Howard wants to clinch.
Silva lands with a nice combination. Howard backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard fails with an attempt to clinch.
Howard throws a big shot that misses.
Howard showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped Howard in his tracks.
Howard tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva misses with a lunging right hand

and Howard counters by moving into the clinch.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva blocks a jab.

Howard takes the fight into the clinch.
Howard misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Howard cracks Silva with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Silva lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Howard tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Silva counters with a nice kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Silva works the jab nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Howard uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Silva.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Howard.
Silva lands with a cross.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Silva dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Silva connects with a crisp jab.
Howard uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.

Howard gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Howard.
Silva working hard to break the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Howard.
Howard digs a right hand into Silva's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Silva's gas tank.
Silva is trying to force a seperation but Howard has the dominant position.
Howard makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Howard misses with a hook from the clinch.
Howard is trying to maintain a safe position but Silva gets an underhook and turns Howard into the ropes.
Howard stalling in the clinch.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Howard is controlling the position.
Stalling in the clinch from Howard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Silva.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Silva stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A telegraphed right hand from Silva misses the target.
Howard thows a body shot but no joy.
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Howard connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Howard scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Howard throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.
Howard pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Howard misses with a wild body shot.
Silva dodges the punch combination from Howard.
Howard jabs Silva right on the nose. Silva blinks but takes it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howard misses the jab.
Silva keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Howard.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva throws the left hand but Howard avoids the punch easily.
A good leg kick by Silva.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silva misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Howard.
Howard throws a poor cross that misses
and Silva counters with a nice low kick that buckles Howard's knee momentarily.
Silva connects with a nice looking jab.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.
Silva's corner calls for a 1-2. Silva obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Howard gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Silva.
Silva cracks the inside of Howard's front leg.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Howard looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Howard on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Howard's front leg but catches the back leg as Howard tries to avoid it.

Howard rushes Silva and presses him up against the ropes.
Silva blocking some punches.
Howard misses with a punch on the inside.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Howard is controlling the position.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Silva lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Howard circles away quickly and effectively.
Howard is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howard tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Howard avoids the body shot from Silva.
Howard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Howard misses the shot to the body.
Silva throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Howard.
Howard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Howard instigates a clinch.
Howard goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Howard misses with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Howard manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Silva dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Silva throws a series of punches but Howard moves out of range.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Howard circles away quickly and effectively.
Howard misses with a wild body shot.
Silva jabs at Howard's body.
Howard wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Thor Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Howard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silva was well out of range. Poor timing from Howard.

Howard rushes Silva and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Silva has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silva.
Howard stalling in the clinch but Silva improves position.
Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by Howard.
Howard wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howard has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Silva finds it's way round the side to connect with Howard's head.
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Howard is looking to clinch.
Silva lands with a slapping head kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Howard. That snapped Silva's head back.
Silva lands a really nice looking cross but Howard seems unphased.
Silva fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Howard looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Howard closes the distance and clinches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Howard.
Silva prevents a body shot from Howard.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howard misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Howard's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Howard was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Howard clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the ropes.
Silva lands a nice uppercut.
Howard scores with a nice hook to the head.
John Howard seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Howard tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Howard misses with a hook to the ribs.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Howard has him pressed against the ropes.
Howard has Silva pressed against the ropes.
Silva pushes Howard back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Howard keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Howard tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Howard struggles to land a body shot inside as Silva controls his hands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howard can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Howard tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws a nice head kick!
Howard doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Howard misses with a body punch
letting Silva counter with a right hand.
Silva throws a right hand that Howard ducks under and follows up with a left that Howard also avoids with ease.
Howard tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Howard.

Howard has managed to clinch.
Silva blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Howard fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Howard tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Howard's elbow.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Silva misses with a hook.
Silva lands with a kick to the temple. Howard shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Howard fails in his attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Howard. Silva does a little dance to reset his feet.
Howard takes a swing at Silva's ribcage but misses.
Howard misses with the combination.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howard lands a slapping body shot.
Thor Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Good standup being displayed there by Silva as he connects with a hook.
John Howard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thor Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thor Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thor Silva!
Thor Silva was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.